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GASB member gets vice chair position

GASB member Jan Sylvis has been named the board’s vice chair, a
position that existed early in GASB’s history but recently was retired.

The appointment, which takes effect Jan. 1, was announced Wednesday
by the board of trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF),
which oversees GASB and FASB.

FAF reinstated the vice chair position in response to the increasing
demands on the time of the GASB chair, a position currently held by
David Vaudt. A strategic focus on expanding outreach to stakeholders
was part of the reason for reinstating the vice chair position.

Recent outreach by GASB has been focused on the board’s new pension
standards and a proposed standard for other postemployment benefits.

FASB also reinstated a vice
chairman position in 2013 because of an increasing demand on the time
of the chairman’s position, which is held by Russell Golden. At that
time, former SEC Chief Accountant James Kroeker was named to FASB and
became that board’s vice chairman.

Sylvis began her first term with GASB on July 1, 2007, and was
reappointed to a second, five-year term on July 1, 2012.

Sylvis will serve GASB on a half-time basis. In addition to her role
with GASB, she is also chief of accounts for the Department of Finance
and Administration for the state of Tennessee, where she serves in
effect as the state’s controller. She also is a past president of the
National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers,
and a past president of the National Association of State Comptrollers.

“Over the last few years, the trustees have observed the increasing
demands on the GASB chairman, which prompted their decision to
reinstate the role of the vice chair,” FAF President and CEO Terri
Polley said in a new release. “In that role, Jan will assist GASB
Chair David Vaudt in representing the GASB in its interactions with
our wide range of external stakeholders, a critically important focus
for our organization.”

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